SAGINAW, MI — A newcomer to Saginaw County politics, Katie Greenfelder, is taking on incumbent county Commissioner Ronald Sholtz this November.

Sholtz has served three terms as a county commissioner and previously as Marion Township supervisor. He says that experience is why voters should cast their vote for him.

"I know and understand the workings of local and county government," he said.

Greenfelder said her professional experience in the healthcare industry, coupled with the perspective of an outsider to government, is precisely why she is the right choice for the Board of Commissioners.

"I bring over 12 years of management experience to the table," she said. "It's time for a change."

Katie Greenfelder

• Professional experience: 20 years in healthcare industry, including nearly 13 as medical practice manager at Mid-Michigan Dermatology

• Political experience: None

• Education background: None given

• Community service and civic involvement: Member of Saginaw Valley Agricultural Society, Member of Saginaw County Democratic Party, volunteer at Saginaw County Fair and Chesaning Showboat Music Festival

• Family: Husband Patrick, one son

• Why should voters choose you? "I bring over 12 years of management experience to the table. I'm interested in voters' agenda, not my own personal agenda. Because I want to represent the citizens of the county."

Ronald Sholtz

Ronald Sholtz

• Age: 66

• Address: 20351 Marion Road, Marion Township

• Professional experience: Retired, General Motors Buick Motor Division; 20 years in Michigan National Guard

The new 6th District, which Greenfelder and Sholtz are seeking to represent, encompasses all of southwestern Saginaw County. It includes all of Fremont, Swan Creek, Marion, Brant, St. Charles, Chapin, Brady and Chesaning townships and the villages of St. Charles, Chesaning and Oakley.

"I support the decisions that they made because I think it was probably their best option," she said.

Sholtz, and four other commissioners, voted against the resolution to draw from county reserves to make up for the anticipated 2013 budget deficit.

Greenfelder said most county departments need to share the burden of balancing the budget, but said she would not support reductions in the county workforce.

"I don't think cutting employment in the community is going to help at all," she said. "We need to protect the jobs."

Sholtz said he sees too many administrative positions in some of the county departments that could be eliminated, and said he would rather eliminate some of those office positions than those held by blue collar workers.

"Some departments are very staff-heavy," he said. "We should look at the administrative people before the people out there doing the work."

Greenfelder said one portion of the county in which she would not support any funding reductions is public safety.

Sholtz said commissioners cannot divert the Saginaw County Sheriff William Federspiel's funding from the county's road patrol millage, but said Federspiel's office should not be immune from general fund budget discussions.

Greenfelder and Sholtz share common ground when it comes to taxation. Both said they would not support any tax increases or new millages.

"I would not support raising the taxes and fees," Sholtz said. "Our people are taxed out."

Greenfelder said she did not have any specific ideas yet for balancing the county budget, but said she would talk to each department about ways to save money.

"My thought is to visit each department and look to the departments to see where they can make cuts," she said. "Not just certain departments, every department with the exception of the sheriff's department."

Sholtz has a handful of ideas for cutting costs, including less spending on seminars and conferences for county employees, reducing the number of committees and advisory boards that report back to the Board of Commissioners and reducing the number of county vehicles that employees take home at night.

"Every department is going to have to help us out of this crisis we're in," he said. "Trimming the budget cannot be focused on one area. It has to be a broad, across-the-county effort."

Sholtz said two portions of county spending he thinks need to be maintained are the services for senior citizens and the county's public health clinics in Chesaning and St. Charles.

"Those clinics are very important," he said.

Greenfelder said she wants to support the interests of Saginaw County's new 6th District, made up of predominantly rural communities. Improved maintenance of county roads in the area, she said, is of particular concern to many of the people she has spoken with in the district.

"My concerns and reasons for running are to represent the rural residents in the southwestern district," Greenfelder said. "I want to represent the citizens of the county."